Located downtown in White River State Park, the Indianapolis Zoo is a 64-acre accredited zoo, aquarium, and botanical garden. Since opening in 1964, the zoo takes pride in providing year-round and lifelong recreational learning experiences for its more than 1 million annual visitors and instilling in them a sense of stewardship for Earth's plants and animals. The mission of the Indianapolis Zoo is to empower people and communities, both locally and globally, to advance animal conservation.

The primary points where people connect with animals and plants are within the zoo's "biomes," or collection of habitats. Approximately 250 species totaling 2,000 animals and 2,000 varieties of plants are presented together in simulated natural habitats.

As visitors travel through the zoo, they go from one fascinating ecological system to another, and they begin to get a sense of appreciation for the diversity of life. Because many people will never have the opportunity to visit an African Savannah or an Asian temperate forest, the zoo immerses guests into these natural environments. For example: touch sharks, race a cheetah, view dolphins from more than 10 feet under water, feed birds as they rest on your shoulder, or elevate yourself into the arboreal world of orangutans. From the arctic land of the penguins and polar bear near the front of the zoo to the realm of the kings of the beasts -- the majestic African lions -- near the far end, a visit to the Indianapolis Zoo is literally a trip around the world!

In addition, the zoo's White River Gardens includes a 5,000 square foot conservatory and three acres of beautifully landscaped outdoor garden rooms.